Isn’t there just something romantic and nostalgic about kites? Maybe it brings back memories of summer, time spent with family, a first date, or the adorable song “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins. With those kind of warm, relaxed thoughts in our minds, we turned to kites for 4th of July inspiration! We decided to make a mini kite garland first and the rest of party look fell into place from there.
Supplies:
– red, white, and blue scrapbook paper or card stock
– red, white, and blue ribbons
– baker’s twine
Tools:
– ruler
– scissors
– hot glue gun
– glue stick
– pen
How fun do all those red, white, and blue supplies look?!
Make your own kite stencil by measuring out a “t. To make the vertical part of the “t”, make a line that is 15.5 cm tall. Then, 10 cm from the bottom of that line, make the horizontal part of the “t” 8.5 cm wide. Connect all the sides to create the kite shape and then cut it out. Use that as a stencil and trace two kites on your desired paper. Cut those out and glue them together using a glue stick. Once they are glued together, trim off any edges showing from the back piece.
Next up, cut straws to fit the height and length of the kites. Use blue straws on the red papers and vice versa. Glue the horizontal straw down first using a glue stick or hot glue gun; repeat with the vertical straw. Then glue on a kite string to each kite measuring 7.5 inches. Tie 3 little pieces of ribbon to each kite tail.
To really take your kites to the next patriotic level, cut out pieces of blue paper to go on the red kites so they will look more like flags. Simply cut out a square of blue paper, place it where it will go, then flip the whole thing over and trace where to cut it. Use this a stencil to cut out the rest of the blue “star” shapes, and then glue them onto the kites.
Now they’re ready to be strung up by running bakers twine through all the horizontal straw pieces.
This flag kite garland is adorable on it’s own, but if you have some leftover paper and twine, you can make a simple pendant garland that will compliment it really well. Just cut out triangles of any size (we did 4 inches wide and 5 inches tall) and glue them onto bakers twine. Easy peasy!
You can have your kites hang side by side close together like we did, or leave some string showing between each one.
For an outdoor party, we would probably leave some string showing in between each kite.
Don’t want to spend oodles on a tablecloth only to have it spilled on and stained? We just used an inexpensive drop cloth from Home Depot that is normally used for painting project. It’s very durable and can be ironed to get out wrinkles. It’s even water proof, so it would also work as a picnic blanket!
And you can add a little something extra to your table-scape (yes, we decided that’s a word)? Just throw down a garland or banner! Let it wind and curve a little bit to add that little bit extra interest to the design.
Another reason we love these party ideas is because they are perfect for 4th of July, but would also be cute for any summer BBQ or nautical inspired party. Or you could change up the colors used and the possibilities are endless. There are so many colors of paper and paper straws available, you could do any color combination you dream up. We couldn’t resist busting out a few washi tape straws leftover from our washi party.
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.